黑料社

Newly-installed Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo聽on Wednesday聽said the House of Representatives would continue to prioritize the proposed Charter change as drafted by the Consultative Committee formed by President Rodrigo Duterte.

But since the House had already passed a resolution convening Congress into a constituent assembly (Con-ass), she said the ball was now on the Senate鈥檚 court.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a priority, of course. But right now we鈥檙e also done with the House resolution to call a constituent assembly so it requires two Houses, so the ball is in the Senate,鈥� Arroyo told reporters.

As early as聽January 18, the lower chamber already adopted House Concurrent Resolution No. 9, convening Congress into a constituent assembly to amend the 1987 Constitution, enabling the country to shift to a federal form of government.

While the House has already made its move, charter change efforts remain pending in Senate.

Senators are also united that, once they convene as a constituent assembly, both chambers should vote separately instead of jointly, as proposed by the House.

搁贰础顿:听House adopts resolution convening Congress as constituent assembly

The Con-com, meanwhile, has completed its task of preparing a draft federal charter.

Former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez had earlier received a copy of the draft federal constitution from Con-com, which is led by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno.

Arroyo also bared that, during her meeting with PDP-Laban members earlier in the day, they discussed how to carry out the President鈥檚 legislative agenda.

鈥淚 repeated what I said that our job is to carry out the legislative agenda of President Rodrigo Duterte, and as I said, looking at the legislative agenda that he talked about in his Sona, number one was the Coconut Farmers Fund, we鈥檙e done with that. It鈥檚 in the Senate,鈥� she said.

鈥淣umber two, the Land Use Act. We鈥檙e done with that. It鈥檚 in the Senate. Number three is the Disaster Management Department. I鈥檝e looked through where it is. It is still in the technical working group,鈥� she added. /atm

READ: LOOK: Arroyo, Alvarez meet for the first time after House leadership row

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